The present invention relates to a comparison sample for simulating the appearance of a keratinous element such as the skin, including the lips, the fingernails, the toenails, or the hair, for example.
There exists a need for reliably simulating the appearance of the skin, including the lips, the fingernails, the toenails, the hair, or other keratinous elements. It should be understood that the invention could be practiced without performing one or more of the aspects described. Other aspects will become apparent from the detailed description that follows.
As embodied and broadly described herein, an aspect of the invention may include at least one comparison sample configured to substantially simulate an appearance of a keratinous element, such as the skin, wherein the comparison sample substantially simulates both a color and an appearance characteristic other than color of the keratinous element.
In one example, at least two comparison samples may substantially simulate an appearance characteristic other than color to differing degrees.
The comparison samples according to exemplary embodiments thus may substantially simulate not only differing colors but also at least one appearance characteristic other than color to differing degrees, thus providing finer distinctions to be made between various types of a keratinous element, in which distinctions may involve considerations other than color. For example, the appearance characteristic other than color may include brightness, shine, relief, or other similar appearance characteristics other than color.
As an example, a system may include at least two comparison samples having differing brightnesses. This may make it possible, for example, to distinguish between a relatively dull or mat skin and a relatively shiny skin, even if the skins have substantially the same color.
A plurality of comparison samples may comprise at least three degrees, (e.g., three, four or five degrees) of the appearance characteristic other than color.
The appearance characteristic other than color may not be restricted to brightness, and may include, for example, color non-uniformity. Thus, at least two comparison samples may have, for example, colors that are distributed differently within each of the comparison samples.
At least two comparison samples may have marks having a color that differs from a background color on which the marks appear. The number of marks and/or their distribution and/or their size, for example, may vary from one sample to another. Such marks may be representative of marks which appear on skin, such as freckles, age marks, or sunspots for example, which may appear as the skin ages or which may appear due to exposure to the sun.
The appearance characteristic other than color may also be nonuniformity of relief. At least two comparison samples may have differing distributions of relief.
The comparison samples may also include nonuniform brightness. Such nonuniformity may be especially suitable when imitating the appearance of skin, or when providing an appearance having a relatively more or less shiny character from one region to the next. Optionally, in order to obtain such nonuniform brightness, the comparison samples may have adjacent individual regions on their surface including differing brightnesses.
The relatively shiny areas may include the presence of a gloss varnish, and the relatively less shiny (or dull) regions may include the presence of a mat varnish. For example, the width of the relatively shiny regions may be about 300 micrometers (xcexcm) and the width of the relatively dull regions may be about 100 xcexcm. Such dimensions may be especially suitable when the comparison samples are intended to imitate the appearance of skin.
Optionally, the comparison samples may have a predetermined relief resulting in a non-uniform brightness. The relief may define recesses and plateaus. The plateaus may be covered in gloss varnish while the recesses may not be coated with gloss varnish. However, in another aspect, each comparison sample may have a substantially uniform brightness.
Each comparison sample may be formed using pigments and/or dyes, for example, selected in such a manner that the comparison sample has a reflectance spectrum that is substantially similar to the reflectance spectrum of a keratinous element whose color the comparison sample substantially simulates such that the keratinous element and the comparison sample appear to have substantially the same color under at least two different illuminants. Thus, a user of the comparison samples, such as a beautician, a clinician, or a dermatologist, or a person without any particular qualification in cosmetics or care products, may select a comparison sample under a given illuminant that substantially simulates the color of the keratinous element which is to be evaluated, for example, such that the result of the selection will remain substantially valid under another illuminant. For example, each comparison sample may substantially simulate the color of the keratinous element under at least two of the illuminants, such as D65 (daylight), D50, and A (an incandescent lamp). According to another aspect, the color difference due to a change of illuminant may be less than 4, or for example, less than 2. This may facilitate evaluating the color of skin or the color of another keratinous element without using a lamp having a specific emission spectrum.
In another aspect, the reflectance spectrum of each comparison sample may not vary substantially from the reflectance spectrum of the corresponding keratinous element in a spectral range extending from about 400 nanometers (nm) to about 800 nm.
Optionally, the expression       1    /    N    ⁢      (    λ    )    ⁢            ∑      λ        ⁢                  "LeftBracketingBar"                                            I              R              MOD                        ⁢                          (              λ              )                                -                                    I              R              REF                        ⁢                          (              λ              )                                      "RightBracketingBar"            /                        I          R          REF                ⁢                  (          λ          )                    
where IRMOD(xcex) is the intensity of light reflected at wavelength xcex for the comparison sample, and IRREF(xcex) is the intensity of light reflected at the wavelength xcex for the keratinous element, is less than or equal to about 0.1, for example less than or equal to about 0.05, or even less than or equal to about 0.01.
The comparison samples also may present differing hues, with hue angles ranging from about 40xc2x0 to about 70xc2x0, and/or from about range 46xc2x0 to about 64xc2x0 in the CIEL*C*h 1976 color space. There may be at least ten categories of the plurality comparison samples, with each category presenting a hue differing from the hues of the other categories.
The comparison samples also may present differing lightnesses, with lightness levels (L* in the CIEL*C*h 1976 color space) ranging from about 34 to about 75, for example.
The plurality of comparison samples may comprise at least five categories of comparison samples. Each category may, for example, present a particular lightness level differing from that of the other categories.
In another exemplary embodiment, the plurality of comparison samples may include fifty colors substantially corresponding to combinations of ten hues with five lightness levels, for example.
The overall color difference AE*C*h.94, as measured in the CIEL*C*h 1976 color space, between two comparison samples substantially corresponding to adjacent skin colors may remain substantially constant, with the difference ranging from about 1 to about 40, for example, from about 1 to about 20, or about 4, for example.
Within a given comparison sample, color may be substantially uniform and constant over substantially the entire surface of the comparison sample. Alternatively, the color may be substantially nonuniform, so as to imitate the texture of the keratinous element, for example. A comparison sample may receive two color coatings of different colors, which together may be perceived as a mean color.
A comparison sample also may receive a color coating on a support that is not smooth. For example, the sample support having relief, which may be selected so as to imitate the grain of skin, for example.
According to an aspect, a matching chart may comprise at least one comparison sample configured to simulate the appearance of a keratinous element. The at least one comparison sample may be configured to simulate a color and at least one appearance characteristic other than color of the keratinous element.
According to another aspect, a system may comprise a plurality of comparison samples. Each comparison sample may be configured to simulate an appearance of a keratinous element. Further, each comparison sample may be configured to simulate a color and at least one appearance characteristic other than color of the keratinous element.
The at least one appearance characteristic other than color may include brightness. At least two comparison samples may be configured to have differing brightnesses.
According to an aspect, the comparison sample may include a support having a substantially rectangular shape. The support may have a width of approximately 60 millimeters and a length of approximately 100 millimeters.
The color and the at least one appearance characteristic other than color may be provided on at least a surface portion of the support. Each comparison sample may define a hole configured to permit observation of the keratinous element through the hole. The hole may be located at about one third of the length of the comparison sample.
The hole may have a dimension of approximately 20 millimeters. As an example, the hole may be circular and the dimension may be a diameter.
Each comparison sample may comprise an identifier associated with the color and the at least one appearance characteristic other than color of the sample. As an option, the identifier may be an alphanumeric code.
The comparison samples may be configured to simulate the appearance of a keratinous element chosen from hair, skin, a fingernail, and a toenail.
In yet another aspect, each of the comparison samples may be configured to be displayed respectively on a package of a product intended for application to a keratinous element.
The comparison samples may be configured to be displayed via an electronic image.
In another aspect, the system may further include at least one set of comparison samples, wherein the at least one set includes at least some of the plurality of comparison samples having at least one of substantially the same color and substantially the same at least one appearance characteristic other than color.
According to yet another aspect, a method of manufacturing a product intended for application to a keratinous element may be provided. The method may include providing a system of comparison sample and selecting at least one of the plurality of comparison samples. The method may further comprise making a product intended for application to a keratinous element according to the color and the appearance characteristic other than color of the at least one selected comparison sample.
The selecting of the at least one comparison sample may include determining which of the plurality of comparison samples substantially corresponds to a color and an appearance characteristic other than color of the keratinous element to which the product is intended to be applied.
Alternatively, the selecting of further may include determining which of the comparison samples substantially corresponds to a color and an appearance characteristic other than color desired by a user of the product.
The product may be chosen from at least one of a cosmetic product and a care product.
As an example, the product may be chosen from a foundation makeup product, a concealer product, a lip makeup product, a hair coloring product, a hair care product, a nail varnish, a blush, an eyeshadow, a skin coloring product, including self-tanning lotion, for example, and a skin care product, such as, a sun protection product, for example.
In another aspect, the invention includes a method of monitoring treatment of a keratinous element with a product. The method may include providing a system of comparison samples and selecting a comparison sample that substantially corresponds to a color and at least one appearance characteristic other than color of the keratinous element. The method also may include applying a product to the keratinous element and determining whether at least one of the color and the at least one appearance characteristic other than color of the keratinous element to which the product has been applied has changed after applying the product by comparing the keratinous element with the comparison samples of the system.
The providing of the system may include providing the plurality of comparison samples as a set.
The determining which comparison sample substantially corresponds to the color and the at least one appearance characteristic other than color of the keratinous element may include placing the keratinous element adjacent to at least a portion of the comparison sample so as to permit comparison of the keratinous element with the comparison sample.
Each comparison sample may include an identifier associated with at least one of the color and the at least one appearance characteristic other than color of the sample, and the making of the product may further include making the product based on the identifier of the selected comparison sample.
The product may affect the brightness of the keratinous element.
According to yet another aspect, the method may further comprise selecting from a plurality of differing products the product to be applied to the keratinous element, wherein the selecting of the product is based upon the selected comparison sample.
Each of the comparison samples may include an identifier associated with the color and the at least one appearance characteristic other than color of the sample, and wherein each of the plurality of differing products includes an identifier matching one of the identifiers of the comparison samples, and wherein the selecting of the product includes selecting the product comprising the identifier that matches the identifier of the selected comparison sample.
The product may affect the relief of the keratinous element. Alternatively, or additionally, the product may affect the color of the keratinous element.
According to an additional aspect, a method of selecting a product for application to a keratinous element is provided. The method may include providing a system comprising a plurality of comparison samples and selecting a comparison sample of the system having a color and at least one appearance characteristic other than color that substantially corresponds to the keratinous element to which product is to be applied. The method may further comprise selecting a product from a plurality of differing products for application to the keratinous element based on the selected comparison sample.
The method may further include providing each of the plurality of comparison samples on a respective package associated with each of the plurality of differing products.
In another aspect, a method of treating a keratinous element is provided. The method may include providing a system of comparison samples and selecting a comparison sample from the system that corresponds to a desired color and at least one appearance characteristic other than color for the keratinous element, and treating the keratinous element based on the selected comparison sample.
According to another aspect the invention may include, a method of enabling an analysis of a keratinous element comprising transmitting at least one image simulating an appearance of a keratinous element, wherein the image is configured to simulate a color and at least one appearance characteristic other than color of the keratinous element.
The transmitting of the image may include transmitting the image via a network.
According to yet another optional aspect of the invention, the method may further include receiving information relating to a comparison between at least one keratinous element and the at least one image.
Transmitting an image may involve transmission of the image through one or more networks, and/or storage media. Networks may include public works such as the Internet, telephony networks, courier networks (e.g. postal service, United Parcel Service, Federal Express, etc.), private networks, virtual private networks, local area networks, metropolitan area networks, area wide networks, ad hoc networks, or any other mechanism for permitting communication between remote sites, regardless of whether the connection is wired or wireless. In a broader sense, an image may be transmitted physically such as in hard copy form, via mail delivery or other courier delivery. Storage media may include magnetic storage devices, such as floppy disks and hard drives; optical storage devices, such as compact discs; organic storage devices; random access memory; printed media; or any other medium for storing information.
As used herein, the term xe2x80x9cprovidingxe2x80x9d is used broadly, and refers to, but is not limited to, making available for use, giving, supplying, obtaining, getting a hold of, acquiring, purchasing, selling, distributing, possessing, making ready for use, manufacturing, assembling, and/or placing in a position ready for use.
Aside from the structural and procedural arrangements set forth above, the invention could include a number of other arrangements, such as those explained hereinafter. It is to be understood, that both the foregoing description and the following description are exemplary.